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It’s time to uncover the latest trends in bridal headwear.
In the traditional Jewish wedding ceremony, there comes a moment when the groom gently lifts the bride’s diaphanous veil, revealing the face of his beloved — a gesture that recalls the biblical matriarch Rebecca, who covered her face with a handkerchief when marrying Isaac. The veiling ceremony, known as bedeken, alludes to both the married woman’s physical modesty and the emphasis on spiritual, rather than physical, beauty in the eyes of her groom.
Modesty and spiritual connection will have to find their metaphors elsewhere for many of today’s brides, however. For modern-day Rebeccas, that handkerchief is more likely to be a garland of dahlias, a birdcage-style fascinator, or even a sparkly crystal headband, as bridal headwear has evolved from the de rigueur veil to a range of expressive accessories.
“That princess tiara, with big crystals and a poufy veil, is not feeling as modern,” observed Ivy Kaplin, owner of Lovely Bride Philadelphia.
Instead, as a survey of local bridal experts revealed, contemporary brides are overwhelmingly seeking a rustic look that’s right in step with today’s green ethos. Organic: it’s not just for arugula anymore.
In fact, “organic” was a word that came up again and again to describe the favored look for 2015 weddings — along with “ethereal,” “soft” and, of course, “natural.”
“Today’s brides are looking for a softer style, something more organic-looking,” said Kaplin, who opened the Philadelphia outpost of Lovely Bride a year and a half ago to cater to what she describes as “a little less traditional, creative, DIY bride.”
“We’re seeing lots of floral-looking hair vines that have some sparkle — something to give the brides a little glitz but also feels more natural, not so overpowering to wear,” Kaplin added.
At Philadelphia Bridal Company, a midprice salon, Ashley Erin Corbett is seeing brides who want “an ethereal, nymph-like effect,” she said. It’s a less studied, girlier look than in previous eras — “think of the Anthropologie customer.”
Like her colleagues, Corbett sells a lot of headbands and wreaths these days; many incorporate metal flowers or vines, Swarovski crystals or sheer organza ribbons, even feathers.
What’s driving the trend appears to be the growing popularity of weddings that take place outdoors or in rustic settings. Whereas ballrooms were once the standard for receptions, couples increasingly host their fêtes at farms and even in barns, a reflection of the current vogue for a sustainable, natural lifestyle.
“The most popular place we always hear about is the Horticulture Center” in Fairmount Park, said Kaplin. “In Philadelphia there are a lot of great arboretums and outdoor venues that give much more of this natural feel for a bride who wants something that isn’t as formal, but is still beautiful.”
At the upscale boutique Elizabeth Johns in Ardmore, bridal consultant Erika Perry sells ornate crystal headbands with trailing ribbons, soft headbands that go across the foreheads and “viney, organic” headbands that give a halo effect. “It’s the boho feel — hair down, parted in the middle with a loose wave,” Perry said. “I have a lot of brides getting married on farms, with long tables and Mason jars, and they like a messy, undone look.” Even in a barn, Perry noted, sparkly crystal accents in the hair keep the look bridal — not milkmaid.
“There’s a definite move away from the stiff, formal aesthetic,” said Jennie Love, owner of Love ‘n Fresh Flowers in Chestnut Hill. “Everyone’s embracing a more natural, earthy style.” Love’s business has evolved from selling flowers at farmers’ markets to doing flowers for weddings to creating floral headpieces for eco-chic brides — the ultimate in local, seasonal and sustainable fashion.
“The fresh hair flowers started maybe four years ago in a big way, and it has definitely gotten more and more popular,” said Love. And it’s not just the boho brides anymore, she added: “At first it was for laid-back, outdoor weddings, but now it can be any type of wedding.”
While some are happy with silk or metal floral accents, “most girls who want flowers do want real flowers,” Kaplin said. Fresh blossoms are also a way to add a note of color; brides who would never don a purple veil will usually match their hair flowers to their bouquets or bridesmaids’ dresses.
Wearable blooms are possibly the most striking trend in bridalwear — which might seem surprising, given how wedding pieces tend to be cherished as heirlooms to pass on. You can’t do that if your chignon is accented with ranunculus.
“There’s some beauty in the fact that it’s just for one day,” explained Love, who said the most-requested blossoms also include dahlias and lisianthus. “It makes the wedding day all the more special.”
Not every bride feels that way, of course. Many are embracing a vintage aesthetic, inspired by Downton Abbey and by a desire for things that feel meaningful and authentic. So-called birdcage, Russian, or fingertip veils — the flirty piece of netting that covers just the eyes or the top half of the bride’s face, attached to a fascinator or comb — have become ubiquitous on the wedding aisle.
So are headpieces that repurpose sentimental items like a grandmother’s jewelry or veil. “They might take an old brooch or something that had been in the family, and incorporate it into their hair,” said Janice Martin, owner of the eponymous Ardmore couture shop where she has designed custom bridalwear for 25 years.
Unlike the more ornate headpieces of yesteryear, many of today’s headbands, jeweled combs and discreetly sparkly hairclips can be worn again, said Pattie Lamantilla, who owns the Wedding Shoppe in Wayne, where affluent brides spend an average of $5,000 on the gown alone. “Some of these hair jewels can be converted to a brooch,” added Lamantilla, “so that you can have your own heirloom from your wedding.”
Headpieces — which typically cost in the low to mid-three figures — aren’t generally associated with well-known labels, the way gowns are. An exception, said Lamantilla, is a vintage-inspired line by Jenny Packham, the London designer who became a celebrity thanks to her most famous client, Kate Middleton. (Middleton herself, the glamorous duchess of Cambridge, is credited with popularizing a more conservative wedding look, bringing back sleeves and lace.) “The new headbands are really thin, so the wire is hidden, and it looks like the little brooch or the crystals are just floating in your hair,” Lamantilla explained.
With all the new options, whither the veil? The most essentially bridal of vestments, it is the single article of clothing that — at least in contemporary America — is worn exclusively by brides. And veils remain the choice of roughly half of them, according to salespeople.
“A lot of Jewish brides definitely will wear a veil, because it becomes a part of the service when the groom lifts the blusher,” noted Lamantilla, using the industry term for a sheer, chin-length face veil. But according to Reena Spicehandler, the visiting rabbi at Philadelphia’s Germantown Jewish Centre, the Jewish veiling ceremony is custom rather than law — so while tradition-minded Jewish brides often want veils, it’s not obligatory.
Rabbi Spicehandler herself went veil-free as a bride. “I wore flowers in my hair,” she recalled with a laugh. “It was 1973.”
Today’s veils are likely to be lace — and to drape gently from the nape of the neck, rather than poufing out from the crown of the head. “Veils are softer, straighter and less voluminous,” said Kaplin. “Brides want something that breathes in the wind.” And while long trains call for longer veils, there is no dominant length right now; brides are choosing everything from the Russian veil — which hits at the bridge of the nose — to the full-length sweep that gets pinned up so the bride can dance at the reception.
With so much focus on the headwear, modern brides are eschewing necklaces and earrings to keep the look refined. “They do hair jewelry instead of large earrings,” said Lamantilla, “and the other accessory might be a jeweled belt or a sash.” Hairstyles also tend to be simple — soft chignons, French twists — in keeping with the preference for a natural aesthetic.
And aside from those brightly hued flowers, brides still overwhelmingly opt for a classic, subdued palette: ivory, cream, blush, although Janice Martin recently dyed silk flowers in turquoise and hot pink for a headpiece to match a custom wedding gown, she recalled.
“I’m also developing a line of fiberoptic and LED headwear for the Japanese market,” said Martin. The gadget-mad Japanese, she explained, “do a lot more with technology in their everyday clothing,” so it was only a matter of time before high-tech made it into bridalwear.
But fiberoptic hairclips seem unlikely to make headway — pun intended — with the natural-and-organic crowd. “Honestly,” Martin said, “I don’t see it coming to this country anytime soon.”
This piece first appeared in the Spring Simchas, a special section of the Jewish Exponent. Hilary Danailova is a fan of accessorizing whenever possible.


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IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced that Security First Insurance, a leading Florida-based homeowners insurance company, has deployed the IBM MobileFirst platform to enhance their mobile experience. Since deploying the app, Security First Insurance has seen a 195 percent increase in average monthly new users and a 140 percent increase in online payments.
To help Security First Insurance improve customer engagement, provide differentiated service in a competitive business environment and easily communicate personalized price savings to customers and prospects, PointSource, a mobile design and development firm specializing in digital transformation and IBM Premier Business Partner, created a seamless, user-focused experience across all platforms including a new Security First Mobile app based on the IBM MobileFirst platform. The app generates an insurance quote in under three minutes using the Instant Quote feature and includes user-friendly account management functionality. Since deploying the app, Security First Insurance has seen a 35 percent increase in leads among mobile users for the company.
A new and unique feature of the app is an interactive Storm Center, which enables all users to plot their location on the map, track the location of a moving storm against their location and share personalized storm updates via social media. By leveraging weather and location-based insights, Security First Insurance is putting critical, relevant storm information and preparedness tools in the hands of Floridians, while at the same time cultivating loyalty for its brand.
“To stay competitive and drive customer loyalty in the highly competitive home insurance industry, we felt it was imperative to provide a seamless mobile experience that not only delivers on our customers’ specific needs, but also provides a differentiating value to all Floridians,” said Marissa Buckley, Vice President of Marketing, Security First Insurance. “The Security First Mobile app built on IBM MobileFirst platform does that by offering users the functionality they want, when they want it.”
Through features such as the Storm Center, Security First Insurance is creating value for its mobile customers. Findings of a recent Forrester Consulting study revealed that organizations who have implemented a “great” mobile app are earning five times more mobile commerce revenue and realizing a 15 percent improvement in customer loyalty over those using just a “good” mobile app. Contextually relevant insights – such as weather and location data – create a valuable mobile experience and captivate mobile users again and again.
“The success of the Security First Mobile app demonstrates that delivering a consistent, high-quality and contextually relevant user experience can foster a significant competitive advantage,” said Michael Gilfix, Vice President, IBM MobileFirst & Smarter Process. “Working with PointSource and leveraging IBM’s mobile technologies, Security First Insurance was able to quickly deploy an app that delivered on all of their expectations – as well as their customers’ needs – and that can easily incorporate new and innovative features to remain competitive.”
The IBM MobileFirst platform is available on-premises or in the cloud. To learn more about IBM MobileFirst and how to engage consumers with powerful mobile app experiences, please visit: www.ibm.com/mobilefirst

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Tesla has been actively advertising its latest models. While this may be normal for most companies, it’s big news for the electric car brand.
Elon Musk has always been averse to advertising. “I hate advertising,” he tweeted in 2019, relying instead on word-of-mouth endorsements from early adopters and happy customers.
However this stance has gradually shifted as Tesla fans and car websites have spotted more ads popping up on social media.
A video ad campaign has been running on Facebook, Instagram and Musk’s own platform X (formerly Twitter).
Take delivery of a new Model Y by 3/31 & get 5k free Supercharging miles. Prices increase on 4/1
— Tesla (@Tesla) March 21, 2024
At Tesla’s most recent annual shareholder meeting, Musk did hint about experimenting with advertising.
The electric car brand hasn’t been totally against advertising, and last year invested in digital ads in the U.S.
And Tesla has been experimented with buying ads on websites in recent years, according to ad-tracking companies that have sold slots to the car brand.
But the millions it reportedly spent are miniscule compared to the billions of dollars spent by rival carmakers like General Motors and Toyota.
The bulk of Tesla’s ad spending has gone to YouTube, followed by video ads on Facebook and Instagram (owned by Meta) and X.
Musk has previously attacked Meta and its CEO Mark Zuckerberg, with the two billionaires due to spar physically.
In March, a new page affiliated with Tesla began buying targeted video ads across Meta’s platforms, according to data from Meta’s Ad Library.
Tesla has also been using Google search ads to promote its cars and other products such as solar panels, according to Google’s Ads Transparency Center.
The advertising dollars may continue to flow.


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By Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Newport Chamber announces their newest initiative, Shop Greater Newport. This website will serve as an online directory for local businesses and a new, modern tool for local merchants and restaurants to market shopping and dining small to the Greater Newport community. This site will link to merchants’ current websites, or offer a valuable opportunity to those who do not have a web presence by promoting businesses online to reach a new, broader audience. Business owners are encouraged to learn more about this free opportunity and register here: https://link.edgepilot.com/s/b28b46e6/2CLArZ6qZECR_kuR8qScyA?u=https://shopgreaternewport.com/register/
“We understand that encouraging consumers to shop small is more important than ever. This website will be another way to promote the amazing collection of diverse, locally owned businesses that Greater Newport has to offer -all at no cost. This initiative will offer free advertising throughout this holiday season and will continue to assist in the Chamber’s goal of promoting shopping and dining locally in the long term as well. We are excited to grow this site and see tremendous potential in the ways it will aid the local retail and hospitality industries.” -said Erin Donovan-Boyle, Executive Director, Greater Newport Chamber of Commerce.
The first step is in launching Shop Greater Newport, this Monday, November 30th. Businesses can become part of this new venture by registering now.
Please send questions about Shop Greater Newport to email@example.com.
More From What’s Up Newp
- Aquidneck Land Trust awards 13 grants to local community, neighborhood groups through Merritt Neighborhood Fund
- Newport Polo’s 20th annual charity gala will benefit Jeffrey Osborne Foundation
- Preservation Society of Newport County receives prestigious award from Garden Club of America
- What’s Up This Weekend in Newport County: May 14 – 16
- Beavertail Lighthouse, Watch Hill Lighthouse are being given away for free


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“Tonight is a tremendous victory for over 25,000 Elizabeth workers who will never again have to choose between their livelihood and their family’s health,” said Analilia Mejia, executive director of New Jersey Working Families. “This vote is also a clear call to action for elected leaders in Trenton. New Jersey voters believe that paid sick days should be a basic workplace right, and we won’t stop until Trenton enacts a statewide bill that covers every worker in the state.”
“Nearly everyone in New Jersey supports paid sick days, because paid sick days support everyone,” said Dena Mottola Jaborska, associate director of New Jersey Citizen Action and a spokesperson for the New Jersey Time to Care Coalition. “Paid sick days strengthen families, protect the economy and deliver tangible benefits for business. This is a common sense policy whose time has come in New Jersey, and we call on the New Jersey Legislature to pass a strong paid sick days bill without delay.”
Elizabeth’s new earned sick time allows private-sector workers to earn one hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked. Those that work in businesses with 10 or more employees can earn five paid sick days per year; workers in businesses with nine or fewer employees would be eligible to earn three paid sick days per year. In addition, employees directly in contact with the public, such as food service and daycare workers would be eligible to earn five sick days regardless of company size. The days can be used to care for themselves or for sick children, siblings, parents, grandparents or grandchildren.
Paid sick days have found significant support from local small business owners in Elizabeth. The New Jersey Main Street Alliance, a coalition of small business owners throughout the Garden State, sent its endorsement of the ballot question to nearly 10,000 voters.
"Tonight is a victory for Elizabeth's business owners as well as workers," said Fariz Demiroski, owner of Bella Pizza in Elizabeth, and a member of the New Jersey Main Street Alliance. "When workers can earn paid sick days, they're more productive and less likely to spread germs to customers or coworkers. Earned sick days will be a big benefit to working families, small businesses, and Elizabeth as a whole."
Coalition members of the New Jersey earned sick time municipal campaign include New Jersey Working Families, New Jersey Citizen Action, the New Jersey Time to Care Coalition, the New Jersey Main Street Alliance, BlueWave NJ, SEIU 32BJ, NJEA and CWA District 1.


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Indiana State University
Indiana State University will launch a stationless bike share program as part of campus' annual Earth Day celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 18 on the quad.
The Office of Sustainability - formally known as The Institute for Community Sustainability -- is working with Spin to provide the stationless bike share program for campus.
There will be 100 orange bikes available on campus for people who download the app on their phone, which allows people to unlock the bikes. Professionals from SPIN will be on-hand to answer questions and show how to download the app and unlock the bikes.
The bikes will be free for rent on April 18 and will cost 50 cents per 30 minutes of use after April 18.
"It will be really beneficial program for students, especially if they're running late to class or looking to go to the grocery store to pick things up," said Nick McCreary, coordinator for the Office of Sustainability. "It will be a cheaper and more sustainable means of getting around than driving."
The Earth Day celebration will also welcome around 30 to 40 vendors from the community and the university to show off sustainable practices and products. Sodexo will cater lunch in the afternoon and Indiana State President Deborah Curtis will present Sustainability Awards. The Tree Campus award will also be presented to Stephanie Krull, landscape and grounds manager for Indiana State.
The Fashion Merchandising Association will operate its Sycamore Closet Thrift Shop on the quad for a second year. McCreary said plans are in the works for the Office of Sustainability and the association to create a year-round thrift shop that would give students an opportunity to purchase reused clothes and other items at a cheaper cost without having to leave campus.
The student organizations, Green Greeks and Operation New Earth, will be involved in unique projects to turn what is typical deemed as trash into usable products and a waste barrel decorating contest where Greek organizations will be asked to turn 55-gallon tubs into a recycle bin that the groups can take back to their organizations and use after the Earth Day celebration.
"I want to get (the Office of Sustainability) out there in students' minds and help them to see that sustainability is core value of Indiana State," McCreary said. "Hopefully people will take the time to come out, see what there is to offer in the way of information on sustainability in their lives and just come enjoy the outdoors."


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A FURIOUS shop owner has hit out at a nearby McDonald’s restaurant after claiming to have seen rats running around in its rubbish.
Ashok Kapur says he has seen leftover food and drink overflowing from a waste container at the back of the fast food outlet in Burges, city centre.
The 61-year-old, who lives in Westwood Heath, is opening his second Cat Ballou clothing store just a few doors away from McDonald’s in less than two weeks but is worried the pungent smell of the rubbish and mere sight of it will be enough to deter his customers from coming to his shop.
Since buying the property in October he claims to have seen a homeless man searching for food from the large waste container.
He said: “I’m very angry about the whole thing. I’ve been watching the rubbish pile up day after day while I’ve been working on the shop since last year. Sometimes I can see rubbish bags coming out from the top.
“They wash down some of the food waste from inside a van and now there are massive puddles at the back of my shop and it smells disgusting.
“I’ve had rats run into my premises and had to call the council to get rid of them. But if I’ve had them, what’s to say McDonald’s hasn’t had them either? They leave the door open when they take the rubbish out.”
Ashok, who manages Cat Ballou Originals Ltd, in Clay Lane, Foleshill, took over the business from his parents more than 30 years ago.
He has spent more than £100,000 setting up the new store. His business sells uniforms for primary and secondary schools as well as clothing and accessories for scouts, cubs, and guides.
He added: “My family have built a reputation and I don’t want that to be tarnished because we have put a lot of hard work into it. Appearances are everything.
“I have less than two weeks before I open the shop – what sort of impression is it giving to people who come to Coventry city centre?
"If they come to the West Orchards car park they will see all the rubbish straight away including my customers who park there. It’s an embarrassment.
“It’s a mess and something needs to be done about it before it gets out of hand.”
A spokesman of McDonald’s said: “We did receive a complaint about the bins and we have taken immediate action.
“The containers have been jet washed clean. We have increased litter patrols where staff pick up litter from around the area three times a week.
“The restaurant suddenly became busier and we didn’t realise the impact it was having on the waste.”


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Believe it or not, Edgar Martirosyan, the pizza delivery man to the Oscars had no idea what was in store for him that night. He believed the delivery was for some waiters at the event site, the Dolby Theater.
As he was waiting to make the delivery, Ellen DeGeneres, the host of the Oscars, met him backstage and asked him to follow her. Suddenly he was in front of millions of television viewers in a room full of the biggest movie stars on the planet. Martirosyan said that he was most excited to see Julia Roberts.
Since that night, Martirosyan has been congratulated by friends from all over.
“I’m thinking that’s when you say American dream, this is really the American dream,” he said.
The company he works for is also reaping the benefits of his appearance that night. One owner says that sales are up at all 20 locations of Big Mama’s and Papa’s Pizzeria. The franchise locations are busy stocking up on their usual supplies in larger quantities.
After the show, Martirosyan appeared on Ellen’s daytime show, where she gave him a $1,000 tip. She had passed a hat around at the Oscars to collect for the tip.
When asked what he thought about the experience, Martirosyan said, “It was really crazy for me.”


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THE country’s leading banks have backed the University of Surrey’s SETsquared initiative, which is designed to create a booming high-tech economy in the South.
SETsquared helps technology-based entrepreneurs make the often difficult move from initial business idea to actual start-up.
Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds TSB and The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (RBSG) are now all involved in the initiative and have agreed to use their skills and expertise to help the early-stage entrepreneurs build their businesses.
SETsquared itself is a joint venture between the Universities of Bath, Bristol, Southampton and Surrey and helps early-stage entrepreneurs develop their technology business propositions to the point where they are prepared for commercialisation and can attract the interest of investors.
“Support from professional services is extremely valuable to our members,” said Nick Smailes, director of SETsquared.
“Building the partnerships with the banks has provided the ventures with access to the kind of advice that can only come from experience.
“We’ve already seen them benefit from guidance on business models and financing.
“The banks and other support partners in turn enjoy early visibility of exciting new technology-based businesses and have the chance to forge partnerships that could prove very fruitful in the longer term,” he said.
A key part of SETsquared’s support for the new ventures is a formal review by a panel of seasoned business people. These typically consist of two or three professional service representatives – usually someone from one of the banks – and others with technical and start-up knowledge.
“Representatives of Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds TSB and RBSG have all participated in these reviews, with much success – they provide focus and challenge where it is needed most.
“We expect the entrepreneurs to have moved their businesses forward within a year to 18 months of coming into SETsquared, and this input from the banks undoubtedly helps speed that up,” added Smailes.
The initiative is unique in being a joint venture between four universities and offering a comprehensive package of low-cost office space, business mentoring and guidance from entrepreneurs and other business professionals.
SETsquared ran a nine-month pilot scheme at its first centre in Guildford, which opened in July 2002. Since then, other centres have opened in Bath, Bristol, Southampton and Swindon and to date more than 50 businesses have sought help from the initiative and its support community.
Barclays, a major supporter of small business in the UK, has been providing advice to SETsquared members at its centre in Guildford since agreeing to be a partner in the initiative in September 2002.
So far, activity has involved participating in networking sessions and in four-monthly review panels – a formal process for the members during their time with SETsquared.
The advice has already helped many of the businesses develop sound strategies and business plans.
Steve Leggett, Barclays head of local business in West Surrey, emphasised the importance of this private sector input: “I strongly believe that it is the combination of SETsquared resources and the private sector contribution that makes the SETsquared offer so valuable to its members – and therefore so attractive to external businesses such as ourselves.
“By investing our time and expertise at this early stage, we feel confident that not only are we helping entrepreneurs at SETsquared when they most need assistance, but that we could also play a strong supporting role once they become fully operational.
“Importantly for us, all the companies that go through SETsquared have high-growth potential, so it’s potentially a rich source of new business for us,” he said.
For more information, visit www.setsquared.co.uk


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Increased global consumption of meat and dairy may help stabilize other commodity prices such as corn and soybeans, which are both used as livestock feed. The iPath Dow Jones AIG-Agriculture ETN (NYSEArca: JJA), whose largest sector allocations are soybeans (25%) and corn (24%), provide an indirect way for investors to capitalize on higher global meat and dairy consumption.
One of the biggest factors affecting meat and dairy exports in 2012 will be a strong dollar. Although meat and dairy exports are projected to increase, they may be hindered by the increasing strength of the dollar, making imports for other countries more expensive. For example, dairy imports to Vietnam from China increased 30% through November due to cheaper prices. Thus, it will be important to watch the value of the dollar in the coming months of the New Year and the reactions of major importers of meat, dairy and other commodities. If exports from other countries such as China or Uruguay, whose meat exports jumped 21% through November continue to increase, then domestic meat and dairy exporters may face a backlash from the stronger dollar.
iPath DJ-AIG Livestock Total Return Sub-Index ETN
August Koster contributed to this article.


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Real M&A’s 2015 Guide for Deal Watchers: Pfizer to MegaBrewTara Lachapelle and Brooke Sutherland
If 2014 was the year of the megadeal, 2015 may be the sequel.
Some of the world’s biggest corporations embarked on hefty acquisitions this year, from Comcast Corp.’s $68 billion deal for Time Warner Cable Inc. in February to last month, when Halliburton Co. and Actavis Plc announced a combined $100 billion in takeovers on the same day. Transactions that exceeded $10 billion in value accounted for almost a record proportion of the $2.9 trillion of merger agreements struck in 2014, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.
Companies put cash to work on acquisitions for a number of reasons -- dimming growth prospects, competitive pressures and more recently, turmoil in oil markets. Some sought partners without coming to terms on a deal. For the companies that missed out on the action, 2015 may be their year.
“People are very optimistic about M&A,” Phil Colaco, managing director at Deloitte Corporate Finance, said in a phone interview. “If the stock market performance is even moderate, I think you’ll see the average size of deals going up and see some of these bigger deals happen.”
Here are a few possibilities:
PFIZER’S NEXT MOVE -- Pfizer Inc. is the one to watch in the pharmaceutical industry after the $201 billion drugmaker was spurned by AstraZeneca Plc this year. As the company faces flat sales and limited upside to its stock price, a big acquisition could be the remedy, and it’s already shown a willingness to be bold. AbbVie Inc. stands out among the handful of logical candidates. Sales of AbbVie’s rheumatoid arthritis medicine Humira are projected to climb 20 percent by 2020 and it could bolster the established-products unit that New York-based Pfizer may eventually split off. AbbVie’s shares also trade at a cheaper valuation than most of the other companies that have been speculated targets for Pfizer.
“MEGABREW” -- That’s the nickname for the much-speculated merger of beer giants Anheuser-Busch InBev NV and SABMiller Plc. Some analysts have said it’s probably only a matter of time before Leuven, Belgium-based AB InBev, the $184 billion Budweiser brewer, makes a bid for its $85 billion rival so that it can tap into faster-growing regions such as Africa. It may come down to price. London-based SABMiller failed in September in trying to buy Heineken NV, a deal that would have helped shield itself from getting bought. While SABMiller’s valuation isn’t far from the more than eight-year high it reached in September, any pullback in the shares may create an opportunity for AB InBev to strike.
VODAFONE-LIBERTY -- Vodafone Group Plc is under pressure to come up with a countermove after BT Group Plc ratcheted up the competition for bundled mobile, wireline, TV and Internet services in Europe this year by going after wireless provider EE. John Malone’s Liberty Global Plc may be Newbury, England-based Vodafone’s best option for a transformational deal. While a transaction wouldn’t be without hurdles, the shift toward quad-play packages makes a combination with London-based Liberty a “must rather than an option,” according to Ottavio Adorisio of Societe Generale. Vodafone Chief Executive Officer Vittorio Colao is considering it, people familiar with the matter said this month.
DANONE-MEAD JOHNSON -- Speculation about this deal cooled when Danone said it planned to keep its medical-nutrition division, as proceeds from selling that unit could have helped fund a takeover of Mead Johnson Nutrition Co. The merger still makes sense, though. Buying Mead Johnson would give Danone a greater presence in baby food, a fast-growing industry in which Danone is a distant second place to Nestle SA. Shares of the Paris-based company are trailing the broader U.S. and European markets, while Glenview, Illinois-based Mead Johnson trades near a record. After a year in which shareholders often rewarded companies that made acquisitions, Danone could face pressure to finally pursue a deal.
Representatives for Pfizer, AB InBev, SABMiller, Vodafone, Liberty Global and Mead Johnson declined to comment. Representatives for North Chicago, Illinois-based AbbVie and Danone didn’t respond to phone calls or e-mails seeking comment.


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More than half (60%) of people born between 1996 and 2015, Gen Z, cannot go more than four hours without internet access before they feel uncomfortable.
This is one of the key findings from a study released by research firm The Center for Generational Kinetics and WP Engine. The research looked at how different generations, specifically Gen Z, expect to use the internet, and their future expectations regarding predictive AI, biometrics, AR and VR.
The Center for Generational Kinetics said the study confirms Gen Z has become the most “internet-dependent” generation, with 62% using it to access their friends and 59% relying on it for entertainment.
In contrast to the younger generation, Millennials (57%), Gen X (63%) and Boomers (67%) rely on the Internet largely to access information.
Fabio Torlini is senior VP and MD, international for WP Engine, a WordPress Digital Experience Platform that provides managed WordPress hosting for companies.
He believes that Gen Z are digital pioneers who are helping to create a path for the future of digital, and “marketers ignore that path at their own peril”.
Due to the pandemic, much of communication and modern life was forced to move online.
Torlini added: Gen Z was already comfortable in that new paradigm, so if you meet the digital needs of Gen Z, you’re ahead of the rest of the world.”
Gen Z are the generation most likely to believe in the positive impact of technology, with two-thirds (64%) believing the internet will bring people closer together.
President at The Center for Generational Kinetics, Jason Dorsey, said the past three studies have shown how differently Gen Z thinks and acts.
He added: “Their connected-ness, their ability to navigate change quickly and their desire to have a positive impact on the world are all reflected in their higher expectations of technology and organisations.”
Around a third (31%) of Gen Z said they expect the Internet to predict what they need and alert them before they need it, while 79% expect all software and digital experiences will have digital learning or AI capabilities.
Some of the older generations, Boomers (78%) and Gen X (68%), would prefer to stay anonymous on the internet and order everything manually.
One area where all generations agreed was the concern for the increased use of Artificial Intelligence, Millennials (69%) being more concerned than Gen Z (63%) on this issue.
The custom 30-question survey, designed collaboratively by WP Engine and The Center for Generational Kinetics, was conducted online between September and October 2019. There were 1,528 Western European (UK, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, and Ireland) respondents aged between 14 and 59, including a 500-person over-sample in the UK.


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A report commissioned by Volkswagen suggests Ferdinand Piech should step down as supervisory board chairman, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters, though he added this may not be the final word.
The study by investment bank JP Morgan also found that representatives of Porsche, that has emerged as VW’s biggest shareholder, should not sit on VW’s board, to avoid potential conflicts of interest, the source told the news agency, confirming media reports.
“This is not wrong but it is hard to say that this is the full truth,” the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters, adding: “The picture may become richer. There may be more pieces of the puzzle to come.”
He reportedly said a contract being drawn up by VW and Porsche to spell out their business relationship could resolve conflict issues and noted it was up to shareholders to elect VW board members.
Reuters noted that the issue is whether Porsche’s role as a major VW investor with around a fifth of the voting rights in Europe’s biggest car maker presents unacceptable influence over a company that is also its business partner and competitor.
Piech’s family and the Porsche clan own all the voting rights to Porsche, on whose supervisory board Piech also sits, the report said.
The news agency added that VW chief executive Bernd Pischetsrieder told analysts that VW would remain independent from Porsche, would reserve the right to enter into partnerships with other car makers such as DaimlerChrysler and, to assuage fears of potential conflicts of interest with Porsche on its supervisory board, planned to introduce a new subcommittee to ensure that corporate governance standards were enforced.


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Barely Legal: First 2017 Ford GT Off Sales Embargo Sells For $1.54 Million
The ’66 Heritage Edition supercar sets the market for legally resold GT models.
It must have been a long, tough two years for the seller of this 2017 Ford GT '66 Heritage Edition. Imagine plunking down around half a million dollars on one of the hottest supercars on the road, watching a race version win at Le Mans, and putting just 30 miles on the GT sitting in your own garage. At the 2019 Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas auction, this virtually brand-new GT Heritage Edition sold to a packed auction room for some $1,540,000—roughly triple what the buyer paid. That's around a million-dollar profit for our seller's agony—before auction fees and capital gains taxes, that is.
When Ford launched its newest GT supercar, it followed in the footsteps of other exclusive marques who sometimes put clauses in their sales contracts limiting the ability of the purchaser to resell the car within a certain time frame. In the case of the GT, Ford restricted all future sales to two years after the purchase date. By doing this, Ford aimed to prevent the purchase of a limited-production GT simply for the purpose of profiting through resale. This is nothing new; Ferrari did something similar with the LaFerrari, for example.
What happens if you attempt to break the rules and resell your GT early? There were a couple high-profile lawsuits initiated by Ford, one involving pro wrestler John Cena that was settled and another for a car sold at Mecum auctions, also settled. The exact details of both settlements are sealed.
Strong as the sales price is, it didn't set a new record price for the model at auction. Technically, that honor belongs to the sale of the first 2019 Ford GT Heritage Edition sold at Barrett-Jackson's Scottsdale auction in January 2019 for $2.5 million (though with proceeds going to charity, that car's price was artificially inflated). Other auction sales we know of include the ex-John Cena car which sold at Russo and Steele during its 2018 Monterey auction for $1.435 million and the previously mentioned car that sold at Mecum's 2018 Indianapolis auction for $1.8 million.
With this 2017 Ford GT '66 Heritage Edition being the first legally offered preowned GT to be sold at auction, we get a first indication of what the market looks like. Our well-optioned subject car not only has the '66 Heritage Edition trim (available only for 2017 to commemorate the 1966 Le Mans-winning GT40; 2018 saw a '67 Edition released) but also has ultra-low mileage, so we'd guess this is about the top of the market for now. Values have likely been hampered somewhat by Ford's decision to expand GT production from the originally stated 500 cars to a total of 1,350.
The 2017 Ford GT was the top-selling car at the 2019 Barrett-Jackson Las Vegas auction, which featured a rare 100-percent no-reserve inventory. Runners up to the Ford, like in Le Mans races past, were two Ferraris: a 2019 488 Spider at $368,500 and a 2013 458 Spider at $330,000. The fourth and fifth spots were taken by two previous-generation Ford GTs, a 2005 and 2006 model, at $324,500 each. Barrett-Jackson sold 677 vehicles in total for some $33.3 million.


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Bakery chain Greggs hopes for 'pastygate' sales boost
Greggs the baker will on Tuesday reveal how ‘pastygate’ affected its business.
Only a few months ago, chief executive Ken McMeikan was at war with the Government over its plans to impose VAT on hot food on shelves, which would have hit top-sellers such as pasties, pies and sausage rolls.
After a national outcry, Greggs emerged victorious, forcing the Government into a humiliating climbdown.
Hopes: But analysts expect like-for-like sales to be between 1.5 per cent and two per cent down on last year
McMeiken told Financial Mail at the time: ‘We are far better known today than two months ago.’
However, analysts have been weighing the effect of publicity – with politicians queueing for pasties – against a tough time for the High Street. As the rain fell so did shopping footfall.
So like-for-like sales are thought to be between 1.5 per cent and two per cent down on last year.
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AmaWaterways reports that pent up demand for travel has already begun to surface and it has been experiencing an encouraging increase in bookings for our 2021 and 2022 river cruise departures.
It notes that one of the new itinerary that is performing well is its new river cruise and land adventure in Egypt, setting sail onboard AmaDahlia in September 2021. Right now, the first season for the Secrets of Egypt & the Nile River itinerary is more than 65% booked. In order to meet the demand for this new exotic offering, AmaWaterways made the decision to extend the sailing season into June 2022.
Feedback from its travel advisor partners indicate that more and more of their clients will be seeking out exclusive and small-group experiences, something that AmaWaterways is noted for providing.
Go to https://www.amawaterways.com/ for more.


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WASHINGTON — Apparel specialty retailers and department stores trimmed payrolls in December despite a gain in employment in the overall economy at a time of fiscal uncertainty, a Labor Department report showed Friday.
Economists said the tense fiscal cliff negotiation in Washington had some impact on business confidence and as a result led to weaker hiring, particularly among smaller businesses in the month. Although Congress and the White House struck a New Year’s Eve deal on taxes that averted a financial crisis, the two sides will have to negotiate a new compromise by the end of March on automatic spending cuts to federal budgets and also confront the debt ceiling, which could further dampen business and consumer confidence, according to economists.
Apparel and accessories stores cut payrolls by 18,700 jobs on a seasonally adjusted basis in December to employ 1.42 million, after adding 33,000 jobs in November. Department stores trimmed 4,800 jobs from payrolls to employ 1.5 million last month. General merchandise stores, a category that includes department stores, added 300 jobs to employ 3.1 million.
“Apparel specialty stores had a large decline in December, but that was preceded by a big increase in the preceding month,” said Scott Hoyt, director of consumer economics at Moody’s Analytics. “It was the timing of hiring with a shift in Thanksgiving,” which fell earlier this year and led to a boost in hiring in November. RELATED STORY: Stronger Growth Expected in Second Half >>
Hoyt said employment at apparel and accessories stores is still healthy, growing about 9,000 on average a month over the past four months. Department stores, on the other hand, are “hurting, although not terribly,” Hoyt said. The monthly average over the past four months is a decline of 350 jobs in the department store sector.
General merchandise stores, including both department stores and discounters, have been adding 8,000 jobs a month over the same period. “That is relatively healthy, and it is better than we saw in the first half of the year,” Hoyt said.
In the manufacturing sector, apparel employment fell by 400 to 145,800. Mills making apparel fabrics and yarns added 400 jobs to employ 119,900 last month, while mills making home furnishings products added 800 jobs to employ 115,000.
“It is hard to see employment growth accelerating early in 2013, but we do think that the economy’s fundamentals are gradually improving and look to faster growth later in the year to produce an average monthly jobs gain of 170,000 for 2013,” said Nigel Gault, chief U.S. economist at IHS Global Insight.
“Azzedine has been one of the biggest influences in my life. He has always been such a strong, loving, fatherly figure to me. I call him Papa. His designs are indescribably unique, they are pieces of art. He knew how to make the female form look its loveliest. I have so many memories of him; my favorite might be during my first show with him in Paris. He liked me and he wanted to help me get more work. He called all his friends at Kenzo and Comme des Garcons, and asked them to book me. They said, ‘But she can’t walk!’ And he said, ‘but she has such a great ass!' His friendship and support has been the great privilege of my career. I can't imagine life without him. Repose en paix mon Papa.” - @stephanieseymour tells @wwd. #wwdfashion (📷: @steveeichner) #alaia #azzedinealaia
Azzedine Alaïa, flanked by two of his closest friends, models Stephanie Seymour and Naomi Campbell.
He designed Seymour’s dress for her 1995 wedding to Peter Brant, and treated Campbell (who famously called him Papa), like a daughter. For more on the legendary designer, tap the link in bio. #wwdfashion #alaia #azzedinealaia
Azzedine Alaïa's “I-did-it-my-way” ethos stood out starkly at a time when brands are experimenting with consumer-facing fashion shows, coed formats and trans-seasonal collections – anything to perk up lackluster sales of ready-to-wear in an age of Insta-everything. “It’s not creation anymore. This becomes a purely industrial approach,” the late designer told WWD in an interview last year. “But anyway, the rhythm of collections is so stupid. It’s unsustainable. There are too many collections.” Read more about the iconic designer’s life and work on wwd.com, link in bio. #wwdfashion #azzedinealaia (📷: @WWD Archive, 1986) #alaia
Sneaker reselling app @goat’s latest exhibit, "The Greatest: New York," tells the story of New York's sneaker culture. To celebrate the exhibit, an intimate crowd gathered on Thursday night at the pop-up gallery space, located at Platform in Culver City, to hear guest speaker and illustrator @esymai talk about her own rise in streetwear and women in the business. "For me I'm just someone who is creative. I like to create things," said Chang. #wwdfashion
Azzedine Alaïa, one of the most iconic couturiers of the modern era whose body-con designs defined Eighties fashion, has died in Paris. The diminutive Tunisian-born designer, known for his structured knitted dresses with fitted waists and impeccably cut, figure-hugging second skin silhouettes was deeply admired by his peers, and counted supermodel Naomi Campbell - his adoptive daughter - among his inner circle, one of a gang of glamazons including Farida Khelfa, Carla Bruni and Stephanie Seymour who became ambassadors of his style. (📷: Alexandre Guirkinger) #wwdblast


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Last week inflation increased to 1.5% for April. This was expected and was much smaller than the surge in the US to 4.2%. Inflation is likely to rise further due to energy costs and will potentially average above the 2% target over the next year. Bank of England Governor Bailey confirmed to the House of Lords last week that he expects inflation to fall back as energy prices and supply chain disruptions fade.
Unemployment came in lower at 4.8%, compared to market expectations for no change at 4.9%. The extension of the government’s furlough scheme and the rolling back of lockdown restrictions mean that the unemployment rate is likely to peak lower than previously expected. The Bank of England is forecasting a peak of just under 5.5% next quarter. A series of top Bank of England members will testify to Parliament’s Treasury Select Committee on the Monetary Policy Report.
The government is keeping a very close eye on rising cases of the Indian Covid variant. The next stage of the easing of restrictions in England set for 21 June. Retail sales soared by 9.2% for April. Surveys for May suggest a further rises in consumer and business activity. This is likely to lead to a strong bounce-back in GDP growth this quarter.
GBPEUR – 1.1614
GBPUSD – 1.4158
This week, the main data in the Eurozone is the German IFO business survey. This provides a guide to the largest economy in Europe. We expect the headline IFO index to rise to 98.3. This would provide further evidence for a return to growth which would lift the Eurozone out of recession. The economic sentiment survey is also expected to show an improvement. French flash CPI for May will be the first major country to release inflation data for May.
Last week Eurozone composite PMI increased to 56.9. The services PMI rose to 55.1, while manufacturing activity also remained strong. Eurozone headline inflation rose to 1.6% in April and we expect a further rise in May. Eurozone inflation may reach 2% earlier than the ECB expected in its latest March forecasts. The Central bank expects it to drop back sharply early next year.
EURUSD – 1.2190
EURGBP – 0.8610
Financial markets remained nervy about global inflation prospects. This has provided some safe-haven support for the US dollar. The minutes of the April FOMC meeting showed Fed officials comments that “it might be appropriate at some point to begin discussing a plan for adjusting the pace of asset purchases”. That seemed at odds with more dovish pronouncements by Fed Chair Powell. This was later clarified as conditional on the economy making “rapid progress”.
Last week’s initial jobless claims fell to a new pandemic low of 444k. This suggests that May payrolls could be stronger than April’s weak rise of 266k. This week, markets will be eyeing closely the April PCE deflator. The Fed’s preferred inflation measure is forecast to rise to 3.5% from 2.3%. Backwards-looking GDP for the first quarter is expected to be unrevised at 6.4%. A number of monthly indicators, such as durable goods orders and the goods trade data will give further weight to estimates of GDP growth in the second quarter. It is expected to be even stronger than the first.
GBPUSD – 1.4158
EURUSD – 1.2190
Do get in touch if you would like to discuss further.
*Interbank rates correct at 7 am on the date of publishing.


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Hic et Nunc is a Tezos-based NFT marketplace that has recently acquired prominence thanks to the ongoing debate about the environmental impact of NFTs. The 2-month-old NFT marketplace ‘Here and Now’ has more Daily Active Users (DAU) than OpenSea’s largest NFT marketplace.
Tezos Scaling into Better Services
Tezos is an open-source proof-of-stake (PoS) blockchain network designed to provide safety and code correctness. This platform is backed by a global community of analysts, validators, and builders. It would be best if you used Tezos tokens to interact with it.
Since Tezos operate a variation on the proof-of-stake consensus, it consumes less energy, making Hic et Nunc a less controversial choice. Tagging along with a name that translates to “Here and Now,” the platform recently found itself in the trending when AI artist Mike Tyka chose to mint and sell his Portraits of Imaginary People there.
The argument from the climate camp is that Ethereum’s proof-of-work consensus is too energy-intensive, a point that’s been leveled at Bitcoin a lot in the past. The problem is that NFTs can involve several transactions throughout their lifetime and are more complicated smart contracts than a basic ERC20 token.
The network offers peer-to-peer transactions through its native XTZ cryptocurrency, Tezzie, via its decentralized platform by deploying smart contracts.
The blockchain also facilitates decentralized applications (DApps) and is seen as a potential competitor to Ethereum. Tezos had the largest initial coin offering (ICO) of all time, raising $232 million, but dealt with major adversity and delays after its establishment.
World Art Day Fundraiser
Just recently, the Tezos-native NFT platform H=N gained steam and launched the World Art Day fundraiser. H=N publicized the event via a brief press release from a Tezos ecosystem development foundation, TQ Tezos, not formally linked with H=N.
Centered on a theme of “#NFTsforall,” the fundraiser featured work from “200+ artists from 40+ countries”, according to artist and collector jkwong. Every artist would form a 25-50 edition piece, with all of the pieces priced at one $XTZ.
OpenSea is an NYC-based marketplace for NFTs. The company claims to be the “first and largest marketplace for user-owned digital goods.” It was established in 2018, following the CryptoKitties craze that ensued when Ethereum launched the ERC-721 and ERC-1551 non-fungible token standards.
OpenSea has a marketplace for discovering, curating, trading, and collecting NFTs from creators, musicians, artists, gamers, and influencers led by Devin Finzer, CEO. Over the few months, transaction volume on the Hic et Nunc has grown widely, and its future seems bright.


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Standards and regulation are vital to ensure that public health and the environment are protected. They are also key to the reputation of businesses and organisations that follow their guidance.
Food security is no laughing matter at the best of times, but I gasped when I first read the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ (Defra) annual food civil contingencies infrastructure report in 2018. It is barely a page long (in public at least) and assures us everything is OK and that the food system is resilient and able to withstand shocks. As the coronvirus racks the nation and panic buying continues, this complacency is about to be tested.
We’re increasingly aware of how plastic is polluting our environment. Much recent attention has focused on how microplastics – tiny pieces ranging from 5 millimetres down to 100 nanometres in diameter – are filling the seas and working their way into the creatures that live in them. That means these ocean microplastics are entering the food chain and, ultimately, our bodies.
The globalization of the food chain has resulted in increased complexity and diminished transparency and trust into how and where our foods are grown, harvested, processed and by whom.
The UK’s food safety regime is not working properly. It is failing to ensure an acceptably safe food supply. Food poisoning rates are too high; confirmed cases of the Campylobacter bacteria, for example, increased by about 46% from 2008 to 2012.
The Foodservice Network is pleased to announce the first full day Workshop for the creation of a new performance standard for Hot Food Display Cabinets (BSI – PAS). The workshop is being held at The British Standards Institution (BSI), 389 Chiswick High Road London, W4 4AL on the 21st of July from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm.


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Second term for the Bharatiya Janata Party; is India Inc optimistic?
…finance chiefs expect a lot, lot more from the Modi government
Lack of enough time to test the GST Network and to bring vendors and customers on board give finance heads concern ahead of the GST transition.
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It’s almost time to find out the new music on ‘Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1+2’
We are a little over a month away from the release of the remastered Tony Hawk's Pro Skater. Since the video game's reboot, many diehard fans have been wondering who will be featured on the game's soundtrack.
Thanks to Noisey, the game's entire soundtrack is being announced during a virtual concert on Tuesday, July 28. The concert includes performances from Machine Gun Kelly, CHAII, Rough Francis and Merkules.
Read more: Trent Reznor lands first Emmy nomination for ‘Watchmen’ score
The music in the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater franchise has always been very important to gamers. So, when Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 was announced, fans instantly wanted to know what new music is included in the game.
Now, gamers won't have to wait much longer to find out. A virtual concert is happening on Tuesday, July 28 at 3 P.M. PST / 6 P.M. EST. During the concert, the full soundtrack is being unveiled. As well, there will be performances from various artists including Machine Gun Kelly. MGK is performing his single "Bloody Valentine," off of his forthcoming album Tickets To My Downfall.
MGK took to his Instagram story this week to announce his performance for the virtual event.
The game's official trailer confirmed the return of some classic songs. Bad Religion, Dead Kennedys, Rage Against The Machine, Papa Roach and more appear on the reboot's soundtrack. As well, Goldfinger's classic "Superman" is also featured in the new game.
Goldfinger's "Superman" also inspired the title for the forthcoming Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 documentary. Pretending I’m A Superman offers a look into how the Pro Skater games came to be and how the franchise’s legacy got its start. The documentary arrives on digital streaming services Aug. 18.
Read more: Here’s why a recent Chainsmokers concert is under investigation
Following the release of the documentary, the remastered game hits shelves on Sept. 4 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.
For Tony Hawk, he hopes that the Pro Skater reboot inspires a new generation of skaters.
“The original Tony Hawk Pro Skater series is a big factor in the evolution of modern skateboarding tricks and inspiring many of the pro skaters you know and love today,” Hawk says. “I’m excited to help inspire a new generation of skateboarders and gamers—and existing fans—to grow the sport even further.”
Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 includes some fan-favorite features from the original games. Create-A-Park and Create-A-Skater modes have returned. This time, Create-A-Park will have massive customization options. And the remaster has upped the level of goals and challenges. Players can share parks online with friends and outfit skaters with skill options.
Along with the revamped game, the full roster of pro skaters players will be able to choose from was recently released. From the legendary skaters featured in the original series to new pro skaters, there is now a diverse selection of skaters to play. The new lineup is in efforts to make the game more inclusive and representative of the skating world today.
The Tony Hawk's Pro Skater virtual concert is available to stream here on Tuesday, July 28 at 3 P.M. PST / 6 P.M. EST.
The game's official trailer which reveals some of the classics on the reboot's soundtrack is available to watch below.
What artists do you want to see featured in the new Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2? Let us know in the comments below.


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2018 was the year that most stakeholders in the Physical Security Industry finally got the message that the Cyber Security threat was capable of causing untold harm to their business. That unless they invested in making sure that their products or services were not vulnerable to cyber attack, it could impact on their business and probably bring massive claims for the ensuing damages.
Security experts had been warning for years that IP devices unless protected from cyber attacks could close buildings and operations down and cause serious safety problems and likely bring damages against manufacturers and installers.
New legislation such as General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) being introduced across Europe came into operation in 2018 and included updated definitions of personal information and will apply to companies operating in the European Union. The UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has indicated that GDPR will apply to buildings, including location tracking and sensor technology.
Building services such as BMS and Physical Security systems are targets for organised criminals who wish to research an organisation as part of a targeted attack. For example, an access control system could provide the name, photo, location, department, privilege and potentially biometric information of a member of staff. Such a breach of personal information, if not discovered and notified, could lead to large fines for the organizations that have not complied with the GDPR legislation.
So now one of the critical buying propositions of physical security is “What have you done to make this equipment less vulnerable to cyber attacks”? The owners and operators of buildings, particularly those having large building estates need to know that manufacturers and installers fully understand what needs to be done to reduce vulnerability and make sure it is applied to their equipment and systems.
For buyers in the enterprise market today it must be one of the most important buying propositions along with the performance and cost of the equipment. Recent investigations on the sales performance of some of the leading suppliers of video surveillance products has shown that there is a correlation between companies that have a poor record of susceptibility to cyber vulnerability and a relative decline in sales performance.
We believe that with time this link will become much stronger and ultimately will reduce such companies to serious decline in sales.


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Smartphone and other device makers hoping to build Corning's new Willow flexible glass into their products will have to wait at least three years to do so, the company said. "People are not accustomed to glass you roll up. The ability of people to take it and use it to make a product is limited," said James Clappin, the head of Corning Glass Technologies. Corning, the maker of the widely used Gorilla Glass, makes Apple's iPhones screens.
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Valentino brings poetry to Paris with feast of flowers
PARIS (Reuters) – Italian fashion label Valentino created a dreamlike ode to spring on the catwalk in Paris on Wednesday, as models appeared to float down the runway in a series of vaporous dresses adorned with shimmering flowers, oversized ruffles and feathers galore.
Fashion veteran Naomi Campbell wowed in an enormous half sheer, all-black gown at the close of the Haute Couture show.
But softer pastel tones and delicate floral patterns dominated other looks, as celebrities including Celine Dion looked on in the audience.
Models wore feathers on their eyelashes in a presentation that almost resembled an extravagant masked ball.
The brand has long been go-to for Hollywood movie stars, with creations by its now retired founder Valentino Garavani, whose magenta red gowns became a signature trait, featuring heavily during awards season.
Current creative chief Pierpaolo Piccioli’s bouffant dresses, and oversized designs in sumptuous taffeta and vibrant colours have earned him plaudits from a fashion forward crowd and a clutch of awards.
The label’s Qatari owners, investment vehicle Mayhoola, had examined plans to list Valentino on Milan’s stock market, sources told Reuters in late 2017, although the company has been evasive about such plans since.
Haute Couture Fashion Week, which runs until Jan. 24, allows an elite club of top-end designers to show off elaborate creations, which are not mass-produced for stores but tend to be sold to a single client.
Reporting by Noemie Olive, Writing by Sarah White; Editing by Alison Williams
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Johan den Hartog, managing director of GMP+ International, speaks at conference on food safety of meat products in Viet Nam in HCM City yesterday.
Speaking on the sidelines of the “Conference of dialogue and associating to improve the food safety chain of meat products in Viet Nam” in HCM City yesterday, Nguyen Thi Thanh Huong, food business development manger at Bureau Veritas Vietnam, said “Food safety in Viet Nam has seen some improvement recently.”
In the past livestock farms did not known much about VietGap or GlobalGap, but now many businesses have applied and plan to apply these standards at their farms, she said.
Johan den Hartog, managing director of GMP+ International, a global leader in animal feed certification, said there is a growing trend among food producers in Viet Nam to supply quality products to both the domestic and export markets.
“To supply safe food to consumers, all companies in the chain need to work together,” he said.
He appealed to feed companies to obtain GPM + certification saying they are a critical part of the food supply chain in ensuring the safety of end products like meat, milk, and eggs.
GMP+ Feed Certification began as a national scheme in the Netherlands in 1992, but has grown into a global scheme that is managed by GMP+ International in collaboration with various international stakeholders, he said.
He also referred to GMP+ Country Note for Viet Nam, which seeks to enable companies comply with GMP+ requirements and also local laws.
In Viet Nam, there is growing interest in complying with international quality standards, and that is why GMP+ International developed the current GMP+ Country Note for Viet Nam, he said.
Viet Nam is one of the biggest industrial feed producers in Southeast Asia.
But 80 per cent of the ingredients used in production is imported.
A substantial part of the imported feed ingredients could be produced by GMP+ FSA (feed safety assurance ) certified companies or can be purchased using standard gatekeeper protocols, den Hartog said.
Every company and transport and storage service providers in the GMP+ feed chain should control possible hazards and risks to prevent contamination of feed products, he said.
He hailed the Vietnamese High Quality Goods Business Association for its efforts to develop Vietnamese High Quality Products-Global Integration Standards (GIS) with measures to monitor the whole food supply chain.
Vu Kim Hanh, chairwoman of the High Quality Vietnamese Goods Business Association, said 66 Vietnamese firms have obtained GIS certification.
The association has signed an agreement with GMP+ International, under which GIS would link with GMP+ FSA to ensure safety of animal and fish feed, she said.


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The edge-to-edge display on iPhone X is going to make everything we do look spectacular. That’s what Apple tells us, at least. But the truth is, a lot of your favorite apps are going to look downright horrible when you first start using one.
This picture of an iPhone X in the wild highlights an ugly problem Apple’s new smartphone will face when it makes its big debut next month.
Have you noticed it yet? It’s not difficult to spot. It’s those massive black bars that are displayed above and below the app. In this case it’s Pokémon GO, which obviously hasn’t been optimized for iPhone X’s new Super Retina HD display yet.
What’s the problem?
The problem here is that not only is iPhone X’s display bigger and sharper, but it uses a new aspect ratio. Since iPhone 5, Apple has been using 16:9 displays — but iPhone X switches to 18.5:9. It’s one of the tallest smartphone displays in use; taller even than the Galaxy S8’s.
Even though apps can be enlarged automatically to use as much space as possible, then, they still cannot fill the screen completely. They’d have to be stretched to do that, and then they’d look even worse. And the iPhone X’s “notch” would get in the way.
We’ve seen this issue before
You will have encountered this issue before if you’re a long-time iPhone user. Apple faced the same problem when it launched iPhone 5, which had a taller display than its predecessors. Prior to that, it was using displays with a 4:3 aspect ratio.
As will be the case with iPhone X, apps that weren’t ready for the new screen were displayed with black bars above and below them.
What’s the fix?
There is only one fix: Developers must update their apps to take advantage of the Super Retina HD display.
Many will already be doing that right now. And a lot of the biggest and most popular apps will be ready by the time iPhone X reaches customers on November 3. There will be many that aren’t optimized, however, so we’ll have to get used to those black bars for a while.


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Ex-Employee Alleged a Series of Retaliatory Actions By Store Manager After Complaining About Discrimination
SARASOTA, Fla. - OfficeMax, an office and technology supply store, will pay $85,000 and target recruitment of African-Americans and Hispanics to settle a retaliation lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.
The EEOC's lawsuit (EEOC v. OfficeMax North America, Case No. 8:12-cv-00643-EAK-MAP in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida) charged that OfficeMax violated federal law when its store manager retaliated against a sales associate after the associate complained that he had been terminated because he is Hispanic. The store manager was required to immediately reinstate the sales associate, but then engaged in a series of retaliatory actions designed to generate reasons to terminate him again and/or force the sales associate to resign, the agency alleged. The sales associate's charge of discrimination was investigated in the EEOC's Tampa Field Office.
Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.
In addition to the monetary settlement, the four year consent decree contained injunctive relief: OfficeMax agreed to target additional recruitment efforts in the Sarasota/Bradenton area to reach more African American and Hispanic applicants, provide training for its management and human resource personnel in three locations in the Bradenton/Sarasota area on racial harassment and retaliation, and will report future internal discrimination complaints to the EEOC.
EEOC's Miami District Director Malcolm Medley said, "We understand how difficult it may be for an employee to stand up against his employer and voice concerns about discriminatory treatment. The Commission is dedicated to protecting all employees when they assert their rights."
"The anti-retaliation provisions in Title VII were created to provide a safe haven for employees when they speak up against workplace wrongs," said EEOC's Miami regional attorney, Robert E. Weisberg. "It is important that the Commission support and empower employees to continue doing so without fear of reprisal from their employers."
OfficeMax is a nationwide retailer of office and technology products with more than 900 stores and approximately 29,000 sales associates in the U.S. and Mexico.
The EEOC enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is available on the agency's website at www.eeoc.gov.


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Free Fire OB41 Update: Everything We Know About Free Fire X Demon Slayer Collaboration
Free Fire, the popular battle royale game known for its epic collaborations, is set to team up with the global sensation Japanese manga series, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, in an upcoming partnership. A recent leak by data miner @macbruh_ff suggests, the collaboration is expected to bring themed rewards and content based on the characters from Demon Slayer to the game’s OB41 update. While an official confirmation is yet to be made by Garena, players can look forward to a release date of August 2023.
All you need to know about Free Fire x Demon Slayer Collaboration
The collaboration is slated to commence in August 2023 across different servers. Players can keep an eye on the developers’ updates for more detailed information as the release date draws near. The previous collaborations have been well-received, and this upcoming one is poised to be no different, with its mix of gaming and anime elements appealing to a broader audience.
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time that Demon Slayer has collaborated with Free Fire. There was a region-specific crossover in the past, specifically with Free Fire Thailand, which brought in themed rewards for players. Once again, with the upcoming partnership, players can look forward to more themed rewards and content based on the beloved characters from Demon Slayer.
Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, a highly acclaimed Japanese manga series with a successful global anime adaptation, is set to join forces with Free Fire. This collaboration is likely to attract more attention from players who might not be familiar with the anime.
As the OB41 update approaches, Garena is expected to officially confirm the collaboration on the game’s social media platforms, further building anticipation among the player community. Apart from this collaboration, here are more items that are expected to be released with the respective update.
FF x Demon Slayer
Some Skins Name


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Global Parcel Volume Exceeds 131 Billion in 2020, up 27 Percent Year-Over-Year, Finds Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index
Latest report reveals 4160 Parcels Shipped Every Second in 2020 with volume expected to double to reach 266 billion in 2026
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20210928005317/en/
The Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index, now in its sixth year, reveals parcel volume increased across all regions in 2020 with the exception of
Carrier parcel revenue increased across all 13 countries in 2020, collectively reaching
The latest Index introduces a new performance measure, revenue per parcel. Tracking this datapoint provides insight into carriers’ ability to respond profitably to changing market conditions.
Key findings from the latest Parcel Shipping Index include:
- Parcel volume reached 131.2 billion in 2020, up 27 percent from 103.2 billion
- 4160 parcels shipped per second compared to 3248 in 2019
Parcel revenue reached
$429.5 billion, up 22 percent since 2019
Highest CAGR 2014-20 for parcel volume was generated by
Chinaat 35 percent followed by Brazil at 18 percent and Indiaat 15 percent
Highest CAGR 2014-20 for parcel revenue was generated by
Chinaat 27 percent followed by Indiaat 16 percent and US and UK, both with 11 percent
The top three markets by revenue – US at
$171.4 billion, Chinaat $127.5 billionand Japanat $33.3 billion- represented 77 percent of global parcel revenue in 2020
Chinaremains the largest market in terms of parcel volume, reaching 83.4 billion, up 31 percent from 63.5bn, followed by the US at 20.2 billion and Japanat 9.1 billion
United Statesremained the market with the highest carrier revenue, reaching $171.4 billion, an increase of 29 percent year over year
Brazil experienced the highest year-over-year parcel volume growth at 46 percent to 1.2 billion parcels, followed by the US at 37 percent and
UKat 33 percent
Japansaw an increase in parcel volume for the first time in three years, with volume reaching 9.1bn, up from 9bn in 2019
India’s parcel volume decreased but carrier revenue continued to grow, reaching
$4.5bn, up from $4.4the previous year
United Kingdomsaw the highest increase in carrier revenue, up 37 percent year over year to $22.2 billion
Francegenerated the highest revenue per parcel at $9.3
“For six years, the Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index has tracked monumental change across the shipping and logistics industry, reflecting shifting consumer behaviors and carriers’ ability to adapt at scale,” said
The Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index measures volume and spend for business-to-business, business-to-consumer, consumer-to-business and consumer-consigned shipments with weight up to 31.5 kg (70 lbs.) in 13 major markets, representing 3.8 billion people in the
Parcel Shipping Index Findings by Region
Brazil’s increase in parcel volume was the highest across the study, exceeding one billion for the first time, reaching 1.2 billion in 2020 – a 46 percent increase from 0.85 billion in 2019.Its revenue per parcel showed the highest rate of decline, at -22 percent y-o-
y. Brazil Postdecreased its revenue market share by 15 percentage points with a 27 percent revenue share decline CAGR 2014-2020.
Canada’s increase in revenue was one of the highest in the study at 29 percent, reaching
$11.5 billion, up from $8.9 billion. Volume reached 1.6 billion, up 29 percent.
United Statesgenerated the highest carrier revenue in the Index, at $171.4 billion, an increase of 29 percent y-o- y. Parcelvolume rose by 37 percent to reach 20.2 billion. Parcels per capita reached 61 in 2020, up from 45 in the previous year. The rise of Amazon Logistics was most prominent in the US as UPS’ and FedEx’s share of both parcel volume and revenue declined. Amazon Logistics generated 109 percent y-o-y parcel revenue growth and 127 percent increase in parcel volume.
Francegenerated the highest revenue per parcelin the Indexat $9.3. Parcel volume reached 1.6 billion, up 18 percent year over year. Revenue rose 11 percent to $14.6 billion.
Germanygenerated 4.1 billion parcels in 2020, up 12 percent from 3.7 billion the previous year. Carrier revenues reached $21.6 billion, up 18 percent, while revenue per parcel rose 5 percent to $5.3. All larger carriers including DPD, DHL and GLS reported revenue growth, while smaller carriers comprising ‘others’ saw their growth decline.
Italysawparcel volumes exceed 1 billion for the first time, reaching 1.3 billion, up 31 percent from 2019. Carriers generated $9.6 billionin parcel revenue, a 24 percent y-o-y increase. While revenues per parcel were some of the highest in the Index at $7.4, this was a decline of 5 percent from the year prior.
Norwaygenerated 98.5 million parcels,up from 76 million the previous year. Revenues reached $210.7 million. Posten Norge retained 79 percent of carrier volume market share as it has every year since 2014, with revenue per parcel reaching $2.1.
Swedensaw parcel volumes reach 170 million, up 26 percent y-o-y reaching 17 parcels per capita, an increase from 13. Carrier revenue per parcel is $2.1and had been declining since 2016.
UKgenerated the highest increase in carrier revenue across the Index, up 37 percent to $22.2 billionfrom $16.1in 2019.Revenue per parcel increased – for the first time since 2016 – to $4.4. Of the major carriers, Hermes saw the biggest increase in market share (from 6 percent to 11 percent) and the highest growth in volume (63 percent). Parcels per capita rose to 74 – the highest in the Index - from 56 in 2019.
Australiagenerated the third highest revenue per parcel across the Index, at $7.6after Franceat $9.3and the US at $8.5, although this has fallen since it reached $9.8in 2014. Revenue reached $7.8 billion, up 9 percent. Parcel volume reached 1 billion for the first time, up from 934 million in 2019. Australia Postretains its dominant market share of 40 percent of the market by volume and 39 percent by revenue.
Chinareached 83.4 billion in parcel volume up from 63.5 billion in 2019, the largest of all markets by volume and the first country in the Index forecast to reach 100 billion in 2021, which it is expected to reach in 2021. Parcels per capita reached 58 from 45 in the year prior. Parcel revenue reached $127.5 billion, up 17 percent y-o-y.
Indiawas the only country to see a decline in parcel volume in 2020, down 16 percent to 2.4 billion parcels from 2.9 billion in 2019. This is likely to be a result of pandemic-related exceptional circumstances and not considered a trend. Despite this volume decline Indiagenerated a 3 percent increase in parcel shipping revenue reaching $4.5 billion. Amazon Logistics has been steadily increasing its market share by volume with 4 percent CAGR from 2014-20.
Japan’s parcel volume reached 9.1 billion, up from 9 billion in 2019. Revenue increased by 6 percent to
$33.3 billion. While parcel revenue has grown steadily since 2016, parcel volumes peaked in 2017 at 9.6 billion.
To download the Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index ebook and view the video, infographic and interactive map, please visit https://www.pitneybowes.com/us/shipping-index.html.
The Shipping Index is an example of research
About the Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index
The Pitney Bowes Parcel Shipping Index measures parcel volume and spend for business-to-business, business-to-consumer, consumer-to-business and consumer consigned shipments with weight up to 31.5kg (70 pounds) across
M+1 518 708 3466


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IT’s hard to ignore the ever increasing disparity of wealth throughout our world.
For many, they’ve never had it so good. More money, more possessions, more food than any one person could ever feasibly need. But alongside this world of excess resides a world of abject poverty and despair.
These two worlds are not mutually exclusive; sadly it is often the desperation of those most vulnerable that drives the profits of the wealthy. Major multinational corporations (MNC) are not only exploiting this disparity but enhancing it with systems of production that directly perpetuate the inequalities.
Harsh reminders of this lopsided system have come to light this week in a number of reports detailing extreme labour exploitation occurring throughout the region.
On Wednesday, Amnesty International released its damning report of child labour occurring on Indonesian palm plantations. Children as young as eight were reported to be working in “hazardous” conditions for long hours and low pay. Wilmar International Ltd, the Singapore based company who runs the offending plantations, supplies their product to global consumer companies including Unilever, Nestle, Kellogg and Procter & Gamble.
Another instance came to light from a Guardian investigation into the exploitation of migrant workers in McDonald’s restaurants in Malaysia. The Nepalese workers were deprived of their passports, paid a fraction of their promised wages and made to live in squalor while Human Connection HR, the recruitment company responsible, turned a profit and McDonald’s reaped the benefits of cheap labour.
While the countries in which many of these MNCs were founded employ the resources and legislation to regulate the work environment and ensure workers’ rights, the countries in which they conduct business often don’t. With globalisation and increasingly flexible supply chains, many producers turn to outsourcing to exploit the cheaper labour and lax regulation of other nations.
This leaves many developing nations in a difficult position.
Their desperation to stimulate economic growth by luring foreign investment can often preserve the lax regulation and perpetuate the disregard for workers’ welfare. In the case of Indonesia’s palm plantations, the laws were in place to protect workers but a lack of enforcement by government prevented it.
It’s undeniable that the private sector has the ability to increase productivity and help pull a developing nation out of poverty, but they cannot be given free rein to flaunt human rights in the process.
The inevitable denial and distancing that comes from these companies following such reports is infuriating. By continuing the practice of outsourcing, they ensure that they continue to turn a profit whilst avoiding culpability should anything go awry.
While it may be true that the MNCs were not directly aware of these immoral practices, the reason is simply that they just didn’t ask. These are leaders in world industry, they have the resources to implement due diligence and investigative audits into their supply chain. Had they taken the effort to delve deep enough, they would have uncovered these themselves.
For companies that pay lip-service to workers’ welfare and promise their customers sustainable, ethically sourced products, you have to wonder why they didn’t.
The answer, I suppose, is simple: Money.
In a world in which doing the right thing seems to take a back seat to turning profit, we have to keep a vigilant eye on the big corporate world and ensure that they are held accountable for their actions.
It is not enough for McDonald’s to simply change its recruitment agent or for Kellogg’s to find a new supplier.
This stops nothing and the only ones who stand to lose will be the workers themselves. Responsibility must be accepted on a corporate level and any violations must hit them where it hurts – their pockets.
Until then and not a moment before, the exploitation will continue.


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Between September and October, Hispanic Americans across the country honored their heritage through a 30-day celebration called “Hispanic Heritage Month,” signed into law just 27 years ago by then President Ronald W. Reagan.
Hispanic Heritage Month actually began as a weeklong celebration back in 1974 and it was to honor the independence of five Latino Americano countries, but now we take the time to recognize the contributions of Hispanic Americans from sports to art to política.
In 2050, Hispanic Americans will make up 30% of the nation’s population.
It took this one statistic (and well over 27 years) to finally turn the heads of marketers in order to comprender the buying power of the Hispanic American demographic.
No longer a niche, Hispanic marketing is a “fundamental component to business success” with a buying power of over $1.5 trillion, as reported by Nielson.
These astounding statistics may finally have grabbed the attention of the top brands across the country, but how many are taking action? It seems that just within the past year brands have finally started to develop long-term strategies aimed at the Hispanic American market and many are making digital channels a top priority.
If you’re looking to get started on developing a Hispanic marketing strategy, here are the top three things you should know:
Culture Over Language.
English, Spanish, or Spanglish? The majority of the Hispanic American community is bilingual, so your content should follow suit. Understand the connection you want to make with your audience and determine what is culturally relevant for them, rather than immediately turning to a Spanish translator. Spanish is important, yes, but considering that the audience is mostly bilingual, you want your language to feel natural.
Hispanic Americans are a large part of our population today, but a lot of the growth is happening within local, tight-knit communities. In the same Nielson report that was mentioned above, Hispanic growth is seen in Texas, California, Florida, Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico. Brands can grow loyalty with Hispanic American consumers through live marketing events, known as experiential marketing, within their targeted demographic. T-Mobile took their JUMP! campaign that focused on their upgrade program and launched it within Hispanic American communities through both street teams and social media.
Listen to the Hispennials.
Hispanic millenials, called “Hispennials”, make up 21 percent of the millennial generation today as per recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau. What does that mean for marketers? Mobile, mobile, mobile. We already know that millenials love digital content and they’re consuming most digital content through their smartphones. Listen and understand what Hispennials are looking for from your brand and develop campaigns that are delivering the right message at the right time through the best channel possible.
Above all, when you’re developing an estrategia to reach Hispanic Americans, keep listening, keep testing, and keep refining your message. Don’t be behind in developing a strong relationship with the biggest opportunity in marketing today.
Looking to get started? See how our lotus latino services can help your brand.


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Are we going to see a new Nook 3G launched in few weeks? According to the FCC website, B&N applied for a new device code named CR Nook/Bravo Delta. No other details were revealed on the device except the fact that it carries a new 3G chipset.
Level up. Read THIS and be the most interesting person at your dinner party. Learn more


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Home Tags Self-Driving Car
Tag: Self-Driving Car
The Jaguar I-PACEs will be used for testing, prior to the all-electric vehicle being outfitted with Waymo's self-driving technology and launched in a ride-hailing service in 2020. Waymo expects 20,000 I-PACEs to join its fleet.
Uber is hiring dozens of ‘mission specialists’ to help relaunch its autonomous vehicle program after deadly Arizona crash
Uber says it's replacing a fleet of drivers who had been charged with monitoring its self-driving cars. The new group will consist of 55 "mission specialists" who will provide technical feedback to developers. The move comes months after an Uber self-driving vehicle killed a pedestrian in Arizona.
Mercedes parent company will start testing an Uber-like service using self-driving cars in California next year
Daimler will launch an autonomous ride-hailing service in California during the second half of 2019, the company announced on Wednesday. The ride-hailing service will be free for users during its pilot phase, a Daimler representative confirmed.
GM’s $2 billion deal with a Japanese tech giant may give the automaker a big advantage in the race to develop self-driving cars
The deal has given GM equity value that it can use to attract new talent. Cruise has grown dramatically since GM bought it in 2016; what started as a 40-employee startup now has 800 people working it. GM President Dan Ammann said that another leg of significant growth is on the way.
The self-driving Uber car that killed a pedestrian was not designed to automatically brake in an emergency: NTSB report
The car registered the pedestrian six seconds before impact, the report says, but relied on the operator to manually brake.
The partnership between Apple and Volkswagen is seen by some as bittersweet for the consumer-electronics giant, which had higher hopes for its self-driving car project when it first launched in 2014.
There are a number of obstacles to overcome, but Americans are all too familiar with the amount of effort being put towards normalizing self-driving cars.
There's an extra level of discomfort when an accident is caused by a robot car controlled by AI and algorithms instead of a human.
Sergey Brin: Silicon Valley has outgrown the time of being ‘wide-eyed and idealistic’ about tech and needs to show ‘responsibility, ...
Google cofounder Sergey Brin showed a marked change in tone in the company's founders' letter
More and more people believe that self-driving cars are less safe than vehicles operated by a human being.